Political Equality and Leadership

Identified as one of the top three priorities for decades, Pauktuutit strives to achieve political equality and increase visible leadership roles for Inuit women in Canada. As the national representative voice of Inuit women in Canada, Pauktuutit encourages and supports the full participation of Inuit women at regional, national and international levels to ensure that their specific needs and priorities are not overlooked. Pauktuutit’s work is grounded in culturally relevant and gendered responses to issues affecting Inuit women and a central component of that advocating for Inuit women’s empowerment and leadership. Pauktuutit works to identify and address the issues directly affecting Inuit women, including specifying systematic issues inhibiting Inuit women’s empowerment. We also work towards identifying and analyzing the specific needs, priorities, and viewpoints for addressing issues impacting Inuit women’s empowerment in addition to fostering an environment which produces leadership roles for Inuit women. Specifically, this involves ensuring that Inuit women’s voices are heard within the Canadian public, other national Indigenous organizations, and the federal government.

The United Nations recognizes that “equality in decision-making is essential to the empowerment of women” (United Nations). According to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination, Indigenous women have the right to participate in decision-making matters that would affect their rights. In addition, it emphasizes that women and men have equal rights to participate in politics and public affairs, and to represent their communities and countries”. We all benefit from the diversity of perspectives, talent and experiences contributed when women participate fully in public life.